independent.co.uk
Ross Sea Warming Threatens Antarctic Ice
An autonomous underwater vehicle's unexpected journey reveals alarming warming trends in the Ross Sea, threatening Antarctic ice shelves.
English
United Kingdom
Climate ChangeArtificial IntelligenceAntarcticaSea Level RiseOcean WarmingIce Melt
University Of East AnguilaNasaUniversity Of Leeds
Peter SheehanKaren HeywoodGillian Damerell
- What was the primary objective of deploying Marlin in the Ross Sea?
- Marlin, an autonomous underwater vehicle, was deployed in the Ross Sea to collect data, but it became trapped under an ice shelf for four days.
- What mechanism is responsible for the warming water intrusion into the ice shelf cavity?
- The warming water is attributed to Ekman currents, wind-driven surface currents that carry heat, exacerbated by the warming Ross Sea.
- How significant is the observed temperature increase, and what are its potential consequences?
- The temperature increase of four-thousandths of a degree a year might not seem significant, but it could lead to substantial ice loss over time.
- What significant discovery did Marlin's unexpected entrapment reveal about the Ross Ice Shelf?
- The study revealed a 164-foot-thick intrusion of relatively warm water into the ice shelf cavity, causing melting from below.
- What is the broader context of this research in relation to the overall trends in Antarctica and global sea levels?
- Antarctica is warming at a rate much faster than the rest of the world, with ice shelves shrinking and glaciers retreating, causing global sea levels to rise.